Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-01-02
baton. During the twenty-one days

night, like the milkmaid in the stor they
COUNTED how many chicks they would
| hatch without the mother hens, how
many would die, and ct what price they
would sell tie remainder when large
enough to broil, to the hungry gold hunt
ers, who, it was expected, would swarm
the new towns of Sucorro-the terminus
of the railroad-and Chloride, the future
Butte of New Mexico.
Every dollar these two pioneers had
was invested in their grub, q rude incuoa-
| Dor and many eggs, secured at great cost
and by various Methods They became
nervous as the twenty-one days passed.
| One morning one ran bresthlessly into
/ the cabin where the other was Wiping The
tin plates, u,cd q. 8 ''irIed sowbeliy"
mpal with an old pocket handkerchief,
and cried out:
"Thgy're coming; thousands of them
are coming. God in heaven, we're
rich,"
,, PIstes were dropped, and to the spring
chicken machine nOth hurried. Sure
enough there they were. Little hens and
/ little ROSTERS Of very tender age, but SO
bright and apparently happy that the two
| boys fairly danced and made the moun-
tain hollows ring with their songs.
Hungry coyotes skuiked of, wondering
what the matter was.
! Well, these two men were busy enough
then. Ninety per cent. Of their eggs had,
by the magic of oil and pipes, become a
brood of 400 velvety little chicks that
looked TO them for food, care and cover.
1t was wonderful how in that wild land
these little birds thrived and grew. The
percentage If loss was singularly small.
Fhey became vigorous out there in the
noun ain air, where were no poisonous
surroundings to cause sickness and dea'b.
In q few weeks the two friends had 5000
chicks that within ten days would
be ready for the hotel and res
tsurant tables. They sat down
and planned They fitted up with coops
the wagon they had; they brought in the
other horse from the hills and made
preparations for two trips weekly, one of
forty-fve miles TO Socorro and return,
the other of forty five miles to Chloride
and return, each trip going out to be
loaded with "broilers" or "stewS,n aud
returning with greenbacks and gold.
Never did two men feel more light-heart-
ed and apparently with better cause.
The 5000 chickens had cost them exactly
% cents apiece to raise, equal to Sll50.
They had expended several hundred in
preparations for hatching, feeding, etc
The day Tor the first days marketing
came. One went with this first install
meut to the plaza of Socorro, while the
other remained at home 10 watch, feed
snt house the flock. Tnrea days was the
allotted time for trip. Only at the ex-
piratiou Of the fourth did the sad wagon
er return. He had lost money on his
cargo Of "spriUg brothers," Next morn
ing, with 500 mere, the other partner,
boastirg his success at bargaining, started
for Chluride, to he gone three days
Promptly on the evening of the third day
he returned, bringing the chickens
With him. There was not a human
being in Chlnride-even the cabins
looked lonesome there. A council was
called. l. consisted of the two men and
the chickens. The last had little to say
on the occasion. It vas decided that one
should 90 to Socorro and try to contract
the entire lot at cost, then with their orig
ipai capital in hand, and swallowing The
loss OF a seasons work, they would
"strlke out" for new fields. Early next
morning, mounted on the faster horse of
the two in camp, the partner started.
Reaching Socorro he saw that it wss un
usually full Of people, and his heart
leaped with joy. In ten minutes
after his arrival, however, he hear ,
crier yelling "Kansas chickens, only 40 |
cents pair, or 90 CENTS piece!" In
quiry disclosed the fact that the Kansas
people, where fowls are grown almost |
without CO t,hsd shipped carloads to that
market. The partner spoke not word to |
a Sorccco man. Remounting, he rode |
back to the ''oil hatchery" A short con-
sultetion was held. 1t was determined |
to hurry out Of the country lest some
body should come and take their horses. !
And then these young men turned loose |
in those mountains 5000 fine, fat sDrlng
chickens, ready for the table, to become |
food for COYOTES, hawks ard f'yesl
tn. made their WAY OFT by degrees. |
Tee writer met them months after in the !
town of Albuquerque, Berna'illo county, |
e New Mexico METROPOLIS, a'terward and |
now. They were saddened, but not sub !
dupd. Both went to work. for Charlie |
Z-iger, ore of the best known aud most |
successful men in that country. They are !
both to-day at work in Butte, and dong |
we'll. The Centennial brewery shooting |
affair three nights ago reminded the |
writer Of this true story, for ore Of those
cold hatchers" is Wolf, who shot Miller. !
The other is O'Neil, who keeps "dsy
watch" at Schmidt & Gamers beer hall |
on Main street, opposite the Centennial |
hotel.